


Invitation to the Wild, book 1

by TryingNormal42



Series: The Naturali Compendium [1]
Category: Original Work, The Naturali Compendium
Genre: F/F, F/M, Forgive Me, M/M, Multi, also if i get some part of the history wrong please PLEASE let me know, but good depression if that makes any sense, i hope you enjoy it and i love all of you, i research everything extensively but i can still make mistakes, i'm a sucker for some good violence, more tags to be added as the story progresses, my characters are damaged, my writing gives me depression, please comment author needs validation, so much excite!!, there's lots of history in this, this is my novel guys!, this story is very diverse too, travels to Europe in my head, very slow updates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-14 21:16:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9203498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TryingNormal42/pseuds/TryingNormal42
Summary: a story about love and finding yourself





	

 

> **What is the truth?**
> 
> **Is there such a thing?**
> 
> **The deeper you dig, the less you see.**
> 
> _“Don’t push too far, for your dreams are china in your hands.”_

* * *

_ Cannae, Apulia, Italy — 216 BC _

Her name is Amelia when the Carthaginians make their outstanding defeat of the Romans.

With long blonde locks weaved into a tight braid that draped over her shoulder, and golden eyes that have intrigued many, sculptors stop her in the streets and beg to make her immortal in stone — though if only they knew. Most recently she had (purposefully) gained the attention of Hannibal, the Carthage army leader. Funnily enough, the dear sweet Hannibal had been the only man willing to listen to what she had to say. Mainly because women were not welcome in war, but also because her cover as a mystical Seer (given the power to see future events by the Gods as a child) wasn't treated with that much respect. She pitied Lucius Aemilius Paullus and Gaius Terentius Varro, the consuls of the Roman Republic army, because they were truly missing out on a grand opportunity. Though it's not like the Romans were going to get her help either way, not after what Marcus Junius Brutus had done to her in 45 BC.

Her name had been Claudia back then. She had posed as the daughter of Appius Claudius Pulcher (after killing the real one, of course), her ‘father’ being Brutus’ greatest ally for many years, and had been regarded highly as a woman of great virtue. But all that changed when her husband divorced her for the much younger Porcia Catonis, daughter of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis, with _no explanation whatsoever_. She had caused havoc after hearing the news, using Julius Caesar’s tension with the Senate and his claims for the title of king, to plan one of the greatest moments (in her opinion anyway) of Roman history. A spark of Faerie magick had planted the idea in Brutus’ head but, boy, had her ex-husband pulled out all the stops. Despite many warnings from doctors, friends, and even his wife to not go anywhere for the day, Brutus had swayed his ‘friend’ Julius to leave with the words: “ _What is this, Caesar? Are you a man to pay attention to a woman's dreams and the idle gossip of stupid men, and to insult the Senate by not going out, although it has honoured you and has been specially summoned by you? But listen to me, cast aside the forebodings of all these people, and come. The Senate has been in session waiting for you since early this morning._ ” With a smile she’d watched as her ex-husband and his conspirators stabbed Caesar _twenty-three_ times on the steps of the Senate-house, causing the dictator to die from severe blood loss.

A sigh of content escapes her lips at such a fond memory.

“I wondered where you’d run off to, my dear,” says a voice off to her left.

Amelia turns, pleased to see her best friend standing there.

Sometimes it felt like they’d known each other forever, though originally they’d first met almost two hundred years ago, when she’d caught him feeding on the blood of a stupid young Human. It had been a magnificent sight to see, quite honestly, because, yes, she had seen bloodsuckers before, but never had she seen them actually _feeding_. It had been entrancing to watch the blood be drained from the girl’s body, to smell the thick scent of copper in the air. The confusion and panic on David’s face as he turned to see her there had been absolutely _delightful_. By that time others like them—and others not like them—were just beginning to appear around Europe, so meeting another who wasn’t Human like yourself was a rare feat indeed, and many tended to stick together for years after that. They settled down and created a life for themselves amongst the Humans that ruled this planet, becoming lovers and having children. She and David had gone the lover route _many times_ , but settling down with children? Neither could imagine that happening for them. They were content being what they were for now.

“Hello, Sebastian,” she greets.

Like her, he’d changed his name over the course of time, and the one he happened to currently use was a favorite of hers. A slight breeze ruffles his brown-black hair, blue eyes glinting in the sunlight. While she wore a series of colored robes, he was dressed in traditional Roman armor, the reason being that he’d successfully infiltrated the Roman army to gather intel for their plan.

“Did you tell Hannibal about your premonition?”

She nods. “He also took my advice on attacking the Romans from both flanks instead of waiting for them to come to him.”

“How did you convince him of that?”

“I mentioned it was a stupid move that would get him and all of his troops slaughtered.”

“Excellent,” Sebastian laughs.

“Indeed. Watching ten thousand troops slaughter fifty thousand is a lot more fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Shard of War_ is cross-posted, [here](http://the-naturali-compendium.tumblr.com/), on its very own tumblr where you can also find ficlets, songs that relate to the story, posts that inspire me, quotes about love, and many other things that might interest you if you happen to like this kind of thing.
> 
> ***updates on the 4th and 18th of each month***


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